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Schroder
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PostMon Apr 29, 2019 1:29 pm 
Ascent Outdoors closed their doors over the weekend. https://www.myballard.com/2019/04/29/ascent-outdoors-and-ascent-cycles-now-closed/

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BigBrunyon
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PostMon Apr 29, 2019 10:29 pm 
Lotta can't-go-wrong deals on the used/trade rack in that locale. Prob gonna be a newfangled sushi type deal takin' over the rent. Maybe a wine bar. Sure I'll see ya there with the rest of us devils.

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gb
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 7:18 am 
That is quite a surprise as they were always quite busy. I do know that ownership changed several years ago, and the area is undoubtedly high rent. Patagonia moved in not long ago about there blocks north.

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Snowdog
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 8:11 am 
Didn't they open on the eastside about a year ago? In Redmond Town Center? Is that location closed as well?

'we don't have time for a shortcut'
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zephyr
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 8:45 am 
Snowdog wrote:
Didn't they open on the eastside about a year ago? In Redmond Town Center? Is that location closed as well?
Snowdog, this was in the second to last paragraph of the article Schroder linked: The company, which recently celebrated its 23rd anniversary, moved to Ballard Ave in 2001 under the name Second Bounce, which then changed to Second Ascent. The company’s bike servicing and shop moved into its own space in 2016, which became Ascent Cycles. In 2017, Second Ascent rebranded to become Ascent Outdoors and just last year, expanded to Redmond, which has also now closed. I bolded that last bit. ~z

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Cyclopath
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 9:57 am 
They've always been busy when I've gone in. I bought plenty of gear from them over the years. Someone's they've been the only place that has glide wax. I need a rope in the next few weeks and was going to buy it from them.

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contour5
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 10:03 am 
It seems like independent retail is being driven out of the city. Goodbye to Hardwick’s tools also.

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iron
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 10:17 am 
this isn't some seattle-only phenomenon. it's america. big box. amazon. walmart. start there and you'll find the reasons.

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seattlenativemike
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 12:10 pm 
I was one of their earliest customers over in their original Leary Way location. I loved the idea that you never knew what would show up on the racks. I know their bike repair dept expanded to another spot down the road. I think when lots of new people move to town, they don't know the local places and just head for the obvious ex: REI It'll probably be replaced by a casual eatery with $20 drinks where couples sit across from each other staring at their phones...

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 12:57 pm 
Something’s off; even if they were pushed out of business, there’d be at least a Going out of Business Sale; the closure wouldn’t be a middle-of-the-night secret.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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fourteen410
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 2:45 pm 
Kim Brown wrote:
Something’s off; even if they were pushed out of business, there’d be at least a Going out of Business Sale; the closure wouldn’t be a middle-of-the-night secret.
^this.

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 8:08 pm 
Lots of "what-if's," from the place being taken over by poltergeists to a sudden death (poltergeist or non-poltergeist related), to just waking up one morning and saying , "I'm done." I suppose it is possible they were pushed out by high rent, but slamming the door shut on business relationships and long time customers isn't usually how a business closes in that case. Typically, your financials should give lead time enough for an exit plan or a plan to move elsewhere. At any rate, last couple of times I went, I saw more new stuff than used, but perhaps it was an off day. Since then, I decided it wasn't worth dealing with the worsening parking situation in Ballard to shop there. I enjoyed having to take giant steps over the yellow dog at the door, though, and I did get some nice used gear there in the past.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Anne Elk
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 8:58 pm 
The fact that they had expanded over to Redmond fairly recently suggests that they seriously miscalculated somehow and over-extended themselves. Closing b/c of bankruptcy can happen quickly; no "going out of biz" sales.

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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zephyr
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PostTue Apr 30, 2019 10:36 pm 
Kim Brown wrote:
I decided it wasn't worth dealing with the worsening parking situation in Ballard to shop there.
You're right about that. I had forgotten how much of a pain that was. ~z

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Stella
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PostWed May 01, 2019 12:22 pm 
I’m sorry to hear they are closed and so suddenly. I tried to split my business between them and REI whenever possible. I hope that Wonderland Gear Exchange in North Ballard will get some of their business.

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